Lucero says the recall is retaliation for her investigations into financial records.

SHASTA LAKE — A petition to recall Councilwoman Dolores Lucero went to the Shasta County Elections Office on Thursday with more than 1,600 signatures.

Lori Chapman-Sifers, chairwoman of the recall committee, said 1,657 signatures were gathered during two months of petitioning. The committee needed 1,222 signatures — 25 percent of the city's registered voters.

"I am absolutely amazed. I think this should put to rest the question of civic engagement in this community," Chapman-Sifers said. "The people are engaged."

Three phone calls to Lucero weren't returned Thursday. She has said the recall is retaliation for her investigations into the city's Finance Committee and financial records

The recall committee insists that isn't the case.

City Clerk Toni Coates, Shasta Lake's elections official, checked the signatures Thursday, verified the number at 1,657 and sent the petition to the Shasta County Elections Office.

That office has 30 days to determine how many signatures are valid, Coates said.

If the minimum number of signatures are deemed valid, the City Council will have 14 days to call for an election by majority vote, Coates said.

Otherwise, Cathy Darling Allen, the county's registrar of voters, will call for the election, which could be scheduled for April, Coates said. The election could be scheduled only between 88 and 125 days after an election is called, she said.

The campaign to recall Lucero officially began Sept. 19 when the committee announced its intent at a City Council meeting, though recall supporters have said the action has been building for more than a year.

Since then, volunteers have staffed signature booths and walked the city for door-to-door signature gathering.

Chapman-Sifers said the committee initially tasked itself with educating voters on the councilwoman and her behavior, which recall backers contend is unacceptable for her office.

"So many people weren't actually up on the topic, which I thought was sort of shocking," Chapman-Sifers said.

Petitioners revisited homes after that initial period, she said.

"Once people were able to go to a website or see the YouTube videos of Ms. Lucero in action, I think that made their decision a lot easier," Chapman-Sifers said.

The committee also tasked itself with voter registration and managed to get 209 new or updated registrations, Chapman-Sifers said. Not all of those people signed the recall petition, she said, but all of the registration forms were submitted to the county.

"We are so proud to have offered that service," she said.

Chapman-Sifers said she hopes Lucero will resign before putting Shasta Lake through a special election.

"I do hope that she does what she has said in the past, which is putting the people first and saving us money," she said. "She could certainly fight this battle from the other side of the dais."